MUSCAT – The maintenance works are a part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources’ 2024 plan.

According to the Directorate General of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in South Al Batinah Governorate, the work comprised three aflaj each in the wilayats of Rustaq and Wadi Al Maawil and two each in the wilayats of Al Awabi and Nakhal. In addition, an auxiliary well for a falaj in the Wilayat of Rustaq was maintained at a cost of RO 5,275.

The Directorate also announced plans to begin construction of a groundwater recharge dam in Wadi Al-Ma’antiyah, Wilayat Rustaq, with an estimated cost of RO 1,662,857.

Engineer Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al Aisaei, Director of the Water Resources Department at the Directorate, told the Oman News Agency that the 2025 plan includes a proposal to maintain 35 falajs, distributed as follows: 23 falajs in Rustaq Wilayat, six in Nakhal Wilayat, four in Al Awabi Wilayat, and two in Wadi Al Maawil Wilayat.

The total estimated cost of these proposed maintenance works is approximately RO 494,000.

Additionally, the 2025 plan includes a proposal to drill three auxiliary wells for aflaj, with two located in Wilayat Rustaq and one in Wilayat Al Awabi, at an estimated cost of RO 45,000.

Engineer Al Aisaei pointed out that aflaj maintenance is part of ongoing efforts to conserve water resources, support agricultural irrigation, and enhance the sustainability of water infrastructure to meet the needs of current and future agricultural projects, thus contributing to national food security.

He further noted that the Directorate is committed to ensuring optimal water resource management by reviewing and processing citizen and institutional requests for various water services (e.g., new well drilling, deepening, replacement). The Directorate is also includes studying investment sites in coordination with relevant authorities to promote agricultural and industrial development; collecting field data from monitoring stations and submitting it to specialists at the Ministry to support hydrological and advisory studies; assessing the impact of waterways on residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural planning; and reviewing proposals for other development projects such as fuel stations, quarries, and crushers, with the aim of bolstering food security and supporting both local and international markets.